


Through the Years

by Zanzabaar



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-22
Updated: 2021-01-15
Packaged: 2021-02-28 06:47:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,191
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22839553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zanzabaar/pseuds/Zanzabaar
Summary: Scorpius's friendship with James and Albus Potter at different points in their lives.  Not Cursed Child compliant.
Relationships: Albus Severus Potter/Lorcan Scamander, Albus Severus Potter/Original Male Character(s), Cho Chang/Harry Potter, James Sirius Potter/Original Male Character(s), Scorpius Malfoy/Molly Weasley II
Kudos: 4





	1. Chapter 1

**First Year**

Any other year, Scorpius was sure that his Sorting would have been the most exciting.Any other year, a son of the Malfoy family being sorted into Gryffindor instead of Slytherin would have made headlines.“Son Of Death Eater, Age 7, Sorted Into Hero’s House! Does This Spell Redemption For The Malfoys?” is what Scorpius is sure Rita Skeeter would have titled her exquisitely detailed, yet factually questionable, article for the Daily Prophet.

Yet a few moments later, Scorpius knew that article would be titled: “The Boy Who Lived’s Son, Age 5, Sorted Into Death Eater House! Does This Spell Doom For Dumbledore’s Army?” and would be published in the Quibbler instead. 

In all honesty, Scorpius thought that Albus was the only person who wasn’t all too surprised at his sorting.Sure, his eyes widened for just a moment, but he eventually shrugged and calmly walked towards the Slytherin table.While the rest of the hall was in an uproar, Scorpius felt a tap on his shoulder, only to turn and see 2nd year James Potter, Albus’s older brother.Scorpius had always been surprised that people say that Albus took after their father, and James took after their mother.Sure Albus had his father’s eye shape, and James his mother’s, but that was the only major difference.Both were extremely pale, with curly orange hair that looked like managing it was a loosing battle, a healthy dose of freckles, and the most startling green eyes. 

“Mind if I squeeze in next to you?” James said.

Scorpius could only nod.He had met James once before, at a Ministry party both of their fathers had forced them to attend, as “heirs” to the glorious Houses of Malfoy and Potter.He hadn’t known what to make of him then, especially since their fathers, while civil in each other’s presence, still seemed to act cooly towards each other.But Scorpius knew what to make of him then, with the eyes of his housemates giving him confused, almost hostel looks.While many people had many of the traits represented in the Houses and only got placed in one by a small margin, James was definitely a full-blooded Gryffindor. 

James sat down and instantly threw an arm over Scorpius’s shoulder and came close.

“Listen,” he said warmly.“I know you’ll probably be… mistreated by some people for being a Malfoy in Gryffindor.Whether it’s from our fellow housemates for being from a family of Slytherins, or from the Slytherins for being a house traitor, you come to me.I’ll make sure they’re taken care of.Got it?”

Scorpius nodded.

James returned the nod.“Good.Oh, it looks like Rose got sorted into our house.”

And it did look that way, because moments later a girl who looked very much like a Weasley sat down across from the two boys.

“I can’t believe that bloody Albus got himself sorted into bloody Slytherin!” Rose Granger-Weasley spewed immediately.“It’s bloody disgraceful.James, how can you be so calm about your bloody brother getting sorted into bloody Slytherin?”

The warm smile James had when he was talking to Scorpius disappeared when he glared at Rose.“Because he’s _still_ my brother Rose.If I don’t support him, then he probably won’t have anyone else here that will.”

For some reason, Scorpius smiled at that, and Rose seemed to have gotten the message, going to sit down with some other Weasleys.The Malfoy figured that Rose was the olive to James’s martini.A seven month old rotten olive that was quickly thrown away for something tastier.Rose was replaced with one of the prettiest girls Scorpius had ever seen.

“Scorpius, right?” the girl said.She had a rather sultry voice for someone so young.

“Dominique, please don’t flirt with him,” James said.“I think he’s still in shock from sorting.He hasn’t said anything since sitting down.And he’s eleven.”

Dominique gave James a playful smile.“What do you take me for, James?A pervert?”

She threw her head back, and gave a single, overly dramatic and very loud “HA!” before looking back at Scorpius with an intense gaze and slamming both hands on the table.“I am DOMINIQUE WEASLEY! As your NEWLY INSTATED fifth year prefect, if anybody gives you TROUBLE, then they’ll have to deal with ME! DOMINIQUE WEASLEY!” 

Dominique “HA!”-ed again.Scorpius guessed she was the cheese to James’s fine wine.The fanciest of cheeses, to be sure, but still cheese.

Scorpius smiled.“Thank you.Really.”

Up in Gryffindor tower after the feast (“YES!SMALL ONES!Follow me, DOMINIQUE WEASLEY!, to the TOWER of GODRIC GRYFFINDOR!HA!”), Scorpius now had the unpleasant task of writing to his family.On second thought, Scorpius changed his mind.With a dramatic flair he was sure DOMINIQUE! would be proud of, he stabbed his parchment with his quill, HA!-ed, then proceeded to throw said parchment into the roaring fire, packed up his quill and ink, then tried to head upstairs to unpack. 

A red-headed girl was sitting on the stairs up to the dormitories.She was short, at least a head shorter than Scorpius, even though Scorpius was only about average height for an eleven year old boy.From the looks of it, Scorpius had run into another Weasley.Whether this girl was an olive or a cheese, or something entirely different, was yet to be seen.She definitely seemed sleepy.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a red-headed Malfoy before,” the girl said.“Then again, I also don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone so close to imitating Dominique-”

From the background, there was a loud “It’s DOMINIQUE!HA!”

The girl sighed.“You get my point.I’m Molly, by the way.Molly Weasley.I’m in the same year as James.Anyway, I don’t think I heard anyone apologize for Rose being a prick at the feast earlier.She has a bad habit of taking house and family loyalty to mean not deviating from what house and family have always done.Anyway, Weasley-Malfoy, I’m going to sleep.”

And she did.Right on the stairs, too.Scorpius was definitely impressed she could fall asleep on the cold stairs.Definitely the sour patch kid to James’s Vodka. 

As delicately as he could, Scorpius stepped around Molly and went up to his dorm.Plopping down onto his bed, he looked at his schedule.His first class: Charms.The professor: Cho Chang.The Time: 8 AM. 

Oh boy.

Scorpius survived his first month.Somehow.He only got lost on the moving stairs once.Then he found his way to class thanks to his fairy godfather James, who was the gin to his own gin. 

The fact that the previous sentence even went through his mind was proof that Scorpius really didn’t completely survive his first month.

Dominique had found out that he imitated her when he threw his parent’s letters into the fire, so she then decided there would be a nightly ritual where the two of them would HA! in the face of danger and destroy the letters together.Screw his parents and screw Grandfather Lucius in particular!Because that’s what being a Gryffindor meant to Dominique, apparently.And Scorpius knew that the school had probably contacted his parents and let them know what house he was placed in, but he was still worried about what his family would say.

And so Scorpius woke on Saturday morning.At home he wouldn’t be caught dead waking up at 9:30, but since his rituals with Dominique, he felt unusually liberated.So liberated, in fact, that when he went down to the common room and sat down on the couch, he didn’t even notice the kid next to him was wearing Slytherin robes.

Well, until he did notice and jumped straight off the couch.

“Oh, I see you’ve met Albus,” James said.Albus, for his part, tried to smile and gave an awkward half wave.

Scorpius gave an equally awkward wave back.It was weird seeing someone who looked so much like a Weasley and a Potter in Slytherin robes.He was wide for an eleven year old: the same height as Scorpius, only heavier.Not fat exactly, but solid and sturdy.At the same time, though, Scorpius realized that it must have been equally as strange to see a Malfoy in Gryffindor robes, even if said Malfoy was also a redhead. 

James took the now unoccupied spot next to Albus and gestured for Scorpius to sit in front of them on the hearth.Seeing them sit next to each other, Scorpius mused about how they really did look like siblings, even if James was the only one who had really started puberty.Scorpius had always wondered what it would be like to have siblings of his own. 

“On to business,” James said.“I’ve heard from Dominique that you’ve been throwing away your parent’s letters.And I can imagine that you’re parent probably wouldn’t be as accepting of you being a Gryffindor as Dad is of Albus here being in Slytherin.Mum though… 

“Anyway, I was telling Albus all of this, when he showed me this.”James held up a letter.

“It’s a letter from your father,” Albus whispered while pointing to himself.“To me.”

“Seriously?” Scorpius said.

Albus gave a small nod and gestured for James to hand over the letter, which James did.

It read:

_Albus Severus Potter,_

_As predicted, Rita Skeeter did her yearly report on all of the interesting sortings at Hogwarts this year.Your’s was at the top of the list.I do not know how your family reacted, but I wanted to let you that if you need anything, please feel free to contact me.Even though the last war is over two decades past, its scars still show.Young Slytherins still have it tough, especially those whose families are of different Houses.If you need any advice and you feel as though you are unable to go to your own family, feel free to owl me._

_Draco Malfoy_

_P.S. If you ever run across my son, Scorpius, could you please tell him that his mother and I love him, and are proud of his Sorting._

When it looked like Scorpius had finished reading the letter Albus awkwardly said: “I’m sorry I didn’t come show you earlier.I was slightly… overwhelmed that your Dad was contacting me.And I… didn’t know what you looked like.”

That made Scorpius smile almost as much as seeing his parents weren’t mad at him. 

“You really didn’t know what I looked like?”

Albus nodded his head.“I… couldn’t remember… I was worried about my own parents…And we don’t have any classes together… And, well… ”

Scorpius thought that Albus was definitely the chocolate to James’s rum.

“Hey, Al,” James suddenly said, “how did you get past the Fat Lady?”

“Oh… that.” Albus blushed and gave a sheepish grin.“I… overheard some other first years saying the password rather loudly.She… doesn’t really seem to care about who comes in, as long as they have the password… and she’s had enough to drink.”

For some reason, Scorpius imagined the train ride home for his first Christmas break of his Hogwarts career to be different than it was.He certainly didn’t expect to be alone with Albus Potter.Since Albus had shown Scorpius his father’s letter, the two had talked a few more times.James would occasionally invite Albus to study with them.Then James would inevitably decide to leave the study session early to go sleep or eat and leave the two of them alone.Albus was at least smart enough to sneak snacks into the library on occasion.Well, more like every study session.Both Potter boys seemed to have large appetites. 

So when James did the exact same thing on the train ride home, only this time with a wink and a sly grin, Scorpius wasn’t exactly surprised. 

“Has… has he told you yet?” Albus said immediately after James shut the compartment door.“Why he keeps… leaving us like this?”

Scorpius shook his head.

Albus gave one of his awkward smiles.One of the ones where it looked as though he had forgotten to smile, then tried really hard to make his make-up smile not look too creepy.It somehow turned out endearing.

“He wants us to be friends,” Albus explained.“I… don’t exactly… have friends…Other than James.”

“We’re already friends, aren’t we?” Scorpius said.

Albus’s eyes widened in surprise.“R-r-really?”

Scorpius smiled.“Of course!You’re the only one I can complain to about being in a different house from my family!And as much as Father and Mother say they’re fine with me being in Gryffindor, I still don’t think they like it all too much.”

“Well… at least your parents at least say they’re okay… My Mum still hasn’t gotten over the… shock,” Albus said.His eyes went dark when he said that. 

“It’s fine though,” Albus continued.“I have you and James… and Dad, I think.I’ll just ignore Mum like I ignore Rose!Mum’s tiny, so it shouldn’t be that hard.”

Both boys laughed at that.

On the way back after Christmas, James didn’t leave Scorpius and Albus.Scorpius wondered if it had to do with Albus looking so down.The younger Potter just kept looking out of the train window the entire time and blocked out the rest of the world.Albus probably had a rougher time at home than Scorpius did, though, in all honesty, Scorpius really did have a good time at home.After an awkward first evening where both parents and son were trying to avoid the subject, Grandmother Narcissa casually brought up the subject of Scorpius being in Gryffindor.She seemed so indifferent to the fact that it really made Scorpius feel stupid.And Scorpius knew that, even as awkward as the first few hours were, his parents really had accepted his sorting when he received gold and red sheets for his bed and a blanket with a large lion on in for Christmas.Albus though…

Scorpius decided not to push Albus on the subject.And thankfully, James was willing to fill him in.

“It’s not that Al doesn’t want to tell you about Christmas,” James said up in the Gryffindor dorms that evening.The two of them were on James’s bed, Scorpius leaning up against the headboard and James against one of the pillars at the end of the bed.“He’s not even talking to me about it.It’s just that Mum kept letting the entire Weasley family know how disappointed she was.About Albus being in Slytherin, and about me and him being friends with you.On the second day back Al went up to our room in the afternoon and didn’t come out for the rest of the holiday.I had to take him food and everything…”

Scorpius smiled, mostly relieved.If Albus wasn’t even talking to James, then it wasn’t something Scorpius had done.“Has he done anything like that before?”

James smiled, as though reminiscing.“A few times.Whenever Albus gets _really_ angry or frustrated, he just gets away from people.After some amount of time he would just come back and be like he was on the train, but mostly cooled off.”

The grin on James’s face grew even bigger.“You should have seen him glaring at Mum right before he went to our room.It was probably the best thing I’ve ever seen.Scared the crap out of Mum and Dad.Their awkward and silly Al, looking like he would like to murder her!”

James shrugged.“When he wants to talk, he will.We just have to make sure we’re there when he does, okay?”

Scorpius nodded in agreement.

“So!Change of subject,” James said.“How was your break?We’re your Slytherin parents nearly as dramatic as my Slytherin brother?”

Scorpius laughed.“I wish!Drama is much more exciting.It was just awkward for a lot of it.But Mother and Father got me some really cool Gryffindor bedding and blankets and stuff.So, it’s all good!”

They stayed on James’s bed for another hour or so before Scorpius fell asleep.On James’s bed.Why he didn’t just make the 20 second walk to his own dorm, he didn’t know, but James didn’t really seem to mind.That boy was too nice for his own good sometimes.


	2. Fifth Year Part 1

**Fifth Year Part 1**

The Malfoy family arrived early at Platform 9 3/4 for Scorpius’s fifth year.Early enough for the train to not have arrived yet.He always thought that they made in interesting group: the parents and grandparents with stark, platinum blond that was so straight as to seemed to be craving gravity, with their ginger kid, who hair was curly and messy enough that it looked like he’d been adopted.Then there was the fact that there were so many people just to see off one teen.

The only other family waiting, on the other side of the station, looked to be in the same situation, only in reverse.With his black hair tinged with grey, Harry Potter was alone in wrangling over five teens, all ginger.

They also stood out in what, or rather who, they lacked: Ginny Potter.

James was the first to notice the new arrivals.The top half of his long red hair was tied in a pony tail, with the lower half falling down past his broad shoulders in majestic curls, and it almost made him look like a lion.He seemed to make a somewhat graceful exit from his family, and motioned to Scorpius to come to him while moving towards the middle of the station.

Scorpius smiled at his parents, and his mother gestured for him to go.While his parents would not blunder through meeting with a Gryffindor Potter, Scorpius knew that only Potter that his grandparents approved of was the Slytherin Albus.Making his was to James, Scorpius noticed Mr. Potter intensely looking past him towards the Malfoys.Probably at his grandfather specifically.He didn’t know why that unnerved him so much.

James gave Scorpius a bear hug when he got close enough.

“Nice to see you again, Scorp,” he said, ruffling Scorpius’s curly ginger locks.Scorpius smiled.He was suddenly part of the Weasley clan once again. 

“So is it just me, or is your grandfather looking like he wants to murder me?” was the next thing out of James’s mouth.“Or is that just his normal expression?”

Scorpius smirked.“It’s both.He’s practicing for the next Pureblood Games, where the ghost of Lord Voldemort judges who looks the most superior.He’s a three time facial-athlete champion.”

James tilted his head and chuckled, his green eyes sparkling humorously.“He’s definitely something.”

Scorpius leaned around James to look at the Potters.“So I heard about the Scamanders and the accident.You guys took in Lorcan and Lysander?”

James glanced back at the twins.“Yup.It looks like their parents are going to be in St. Mungo’s for at least the next few years.Dad’s officially adopted them.”

Scorpius’s eyes widened in shock.“Your father adopted them?That must’ve pissed Al off.”

The barking laugh James let out seemed loud enough to startle both families before he whispered:“Of course it did.How would you like it if the secret boyfriend you’d been hiding from your parents was suddenly your brother?He and Lorcan have been so blue balled this summer, I’m surprised they haven’t outed themselves.”

Then James slightly grinned.“Of course, Al’s a Slytherin and Lorcan’s a Ravenclaw, so they’re not like us Lions.They wouldn’t risk their secret being let out just to feed their lust.”

Scorpius just shook his head.“You know that could just mean that Lorcan’s smart enough and Al’s sneaky enough to possibly get away with it.”

He shrugged.“So were’s your Mum?Did she and Albus have another argument?”

“Well, that’s a given,” James said, “but not really the only reason why.Mum and Dad had an argument about her and Albus’s arguments.You know Al’s been completely ignoring Mum, except to argue, for the last few years because of her whole anti-Slytherin nonsense.Dad’s finally starting to not put up with it and took Al’s side.We haven’t seen her since the middle of July.”

James sighed and put his hands on his hips.“It is what it is.”

And then suddenly Albus was there.Like James, he wore his hair long, though it wasn’t quite to his shoulders yet.He word a simple black hair clip up to to keeps his bangs out of his eyes.The eyes showed a major difference in James and Albus.James’s eyes always seemed like he was smiling, or approachable, even when his face was neutral.Here, Albus’s eyes were dark, even as his mouth contorted into his awkward smile.Scorpius noticed that they weren’t murderous, like his grandfather’s eyes.They were more wary… tired, almost.He was already wearing his uniform, only without the robes. 

“I have something I want to run by you,” Albus said.Scorpius smiled again.With James ruffling his hair earlier marking him as one of their own, Al didn’t need the pleasantries.Scorpius was back in the family.Like they’d see each other minutes before. 

“Okay, shoot.”

“I know your family likes me,” Albus said, “but do they like me enough to have me over for the Christmas holidays, even if you’re not there?”

“Why wouldn’t I be there?” Scorpius asked seriously.

“Because you’ll be at the Burrow, like you are every year.”

Because of course Scorpius would be at the Burrow, why didn’t he think of that?Thinking about it though…

“You know what,” he said, “I think they’d actually like that.Make sure you let them think that they’re stealing you away from your Gryffindor family.Let them have their revenge against your father for _stealing_ me.”

Al smiled again, this time his eyes meaning it.He then sauntered off towards the Malfoys.After a few moments, Scorpius was surprised to actually see Grandfather Lucius smile at Albus. 

A few minutes later, the train slowly arrived, and more people started to arrive on the platform.It was time for James and Scorpius to go back to their families to get their belongings.As Al passed Scorp, the Slytherin winked at him with a wonky grin.

For a time, everyone in the train cabin was quiet.It was only Scorpius, with Lily Potter sharing his bench, and Albus alone, laying down on the opposite bench.

Lily was short for someone starting their third year.While James hair was a bright, fiery orange, and Albus’s was closer to the actual color red, Lily’s hair was closer to auburn, and pulled up in a tight bun.Her eyes were a warm brown, like her Grandma Molly’s.The type of eyes where you couldn’t say no when she put more food on your plate and made it so that Scorpius was the first Malfoy whose bum wasn’t flat.The Potter Princess wore large rounded glasses that were pushed farther up her nose than the bad cold she had at the end of the last school year.

“So James told me about the adoption,” Scorpius said to neither Albus or Lily particularly. 

Albus groaned.It didn’t sound like it was directed at Scorpius, but more at the situation.He looked at Scorpius and Lily, then brought out his wand and motioned to the cabin door while muttering something under his breath.Scorpius heard metallic clicks from the door and assumed it was locked.

“Lorcan and I had jerk each other off the morning Dad told us,” Al said.“It was the first time we’d done more than just snog.”

Scorpius’ and Lily’s eyes widened. 

“I was going to tell Dad that I was bi later that day,” he continued without prompting.“Then _maybe_ bring up that Lorcan and I were dating if he reacted well.”

He snorted.“But as James would say, it is what it is.”

Lily suddenly laughed.“You know what?I’m surprised that Dad didn’t notice that almost every time you two were in a room together you both got giant boners.”

Scorpius and Albus laughed. 

“It turned out okay, though,” Albus said.“Thinking back on it, Lorcan and I only ever snogged when we were together.The only things that we have in common is that we’re good at snogging and we’re attracted to each other.We both knew there wasn’t much time left for us.At least this way we ended things cleanly and we can try to stay friends.”

“And this way you can live with the knowledge that you’ve done things to our brother’s prick,” Lily trolled.

Albus smirked and gave one of those laughs that was really just blowing air through his nose.“At least I know I’m good at something.”

Lily gave a mock gasp.“You _wound_ be, brother!Well, I can’t really believe that I now have four older brothers.Five, if you count Teddy.I mean, you and James are both bi, so I knew it was a possibility in like a decade or two, but not so soon!”

The siblings both burst out laughing.

“So Scorp, you know what my love life’s like.What about you?Has any girl caught your discerning, pureblood eyes?” Albus asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

Scorpius sighed.“I know if I say ‘no’ you won’t believe me, and if I say ‘yes’ then you’ll pester me until I tell you who, so why should I answer?”

Both Potter sibling’s eyes suddenly turned mischievous.

“You know what that sound like, don’t you Lils?”

“I sure do, Al.It sounds like Scorp here has a crush on someone.”

“Or at least a boner for someone.”

Scorpius rolled his eyes.“I’m officially done with this conversation.”

It was later that evening, well past midnight, and Scorpius was curled up in one of the large chairs in front of Gryffindor Tower’s large fireplace.James was laying on the couch next to him.The two of them were the only ones still awake.

“James, how close are you to your cousin Molly?” Scorpius asked.He made sure he was quiet about it.Who knew how sound could carry in the castle.

James glanced over at Scorpius with a raised eyebrow.Scorpius noticed that all three of the Potter kids had expressive eyebrows for some reason.

“Close enough.Why?”

“Is she seeing anyone?”

“Oh ho ho,” James said.“For a while there, I didn’t think your prick worked.Does Molly give you a boner?”

“Bloody hell, what is it with you and Al and your obsession over my dick?”

James shrugged and laughed.“What can I say.Al and I are Potter men.We like redheads.”

Scorpius chucked a pillow at James, hitting him square in the face, but couldn’t help but laugh.“Yes, she does get a reaction out of me down there.”Merlin’s left eyebrow, he couldn’t believe he even said that.Especially to her cousin!Who knew how quickly that’s end up in Molly’s ears.The Weasleys must have made up half of the school, from what it felt like!

James pushed himself up and scooted over, leaning in close to Scorpius.“I’ve heard a rumor.It’s been circulating around the Weasley girls.They’ve been saying that Molly has a thing for you.And that she wants you to take her to Madam Puddifoot’s for tea.”

He put the pillow Scorpius had thrown in the Malfoy’s lap, and with a slight pressure, circling his hand around the top.Scorpius quickly felt a sudden tinge of warmth in his crotch from the feeling.

“I also hear that Al and I aren’t the only ones “obsessed”, as you say, with your prick.”James wiggled his eyebrows and went back to laying down on the couch.“The difference is you’re a brother to Al and I.Molly wants to make out with you.”

The second Sunday of the term was sleepily overcast, with just enough breeze for Scorpius and Albus to have their robes drawn tight around them and their hoods up.The two were sitting with their backs against a large tree near the edge of the Great Lake.The giant squid was out today, surprisingly, flailing its large tentacles above the water from time to time.

“I heard you’re taking Molly to Hogsmeade,” Albus said quietly.

Scorpius couldn’t help but smile dreamily at the thought.“Yeah.I can’t believe she said yes.Honestly… I’m a bit nervous about it.”

Albus rolled his eyes, but Scorpius couldn’t help but notice the edges of his mouth twitch upward. 

“You’ll be fine!She’s no longer a… what did you used to call her, a sour patch kid?She’s no longer one of those!”

Scorpius laughed.Merlin’s belly button, it’d been years since he’d used the drink comparisons.

“I know it’s cliché, but just be yourself.She already likes how you look, and-”

Albus was looking past Scorpius, and his cheeks suddenly became super flush.Scorpius followed his friend’s gaze only to see Tadhg Finnigan-Macmillan.A fifth year Hufflepuff, Tadhg was a little shorter than Scorpius and Albus, but just as broad, had hair close to the same shade of red as Al’s, and deep blue eyes.

And he was definitely Al’s type.

Tadhg was alone, gazing out at the lake, and hadn’t noticed that he was being watched yet.

“You know,” Scorpius said quietly, to make sure his voice didn’t carry, “Molly did mention something about wanting to possibly go on a double date with another couple for Hogsmeade.I’m sure she’d understand if it was you and Tadhg.”

Scorpius didn’t realize that is was possible for Al to get any redder.Al’s bright green eyes suddenly opened wide and he almost seemed to want to glare at Scorpius, but he couldn’t keep his eyes of Tadhg. 

“I’m sure he’s straight,” Albus hissed out.

“But what if he’s not?You’ll be beating yourself up if you see him with another guy.”

“But-”

“Al.You come from a family of Gryffindors.Now just because you’re a Slytherin doesn’t mean you don’t have any of that courage within you.”

“Damn it, you prat,” Al said, shooting into a standing position.While he started to put his hair back with his hair clip, Scorpius got up and started straightening out his friend’s robes and brushing the dirt off his back and bum. 

“Albus Severus Potter,” Scorpius said, “You were named after two of the bravest and most powerful wizards of an age.You’ve got this.”

Albus nodded at Scorpius seriously, as though he was going into battle.Scorpius counted himself lucky that he was only attracted to girls.There was less of a chance of rejection because of incompatible orientation. 

Scorpius watched his friend make his way to the Hufflepuff.By Merlin’s right knee, this was nerve racking.He stood there silently, watching Al ask his crush out, awkwardly scratching the back of his neck while he did so.He knew that if Tadhg said no, he’d at least be gentle about it.But Albus wasn’t usually so bold.It’d taken him months to ask Lorcan out, and that’d only been after he was sure Lorcan liked guys.Al would be exhausted even if Tadhg said yes.If he said no, well, Scorpius was sure that Al wouldn’t spend much of his free time out of his bed for a while.

Then, suddenly, Tadhg was smiling widely, and Albus’s back was a little straighter and his shoulders broader.Al glanced back at Scorpius and gave him a giant grin and a thumbs up, which Scorpius returned.Tadhg looked past Al to see him, and waved at Scorpius. 

Scorpius knew that it was time for him to retreat and let the lovebirds have some privacy.It took him almost half an hour to make it back to Gryffindor Tower.He wondered if Al would join him for dinner like he normally did.The first Hogsmeade trip was two weeks away.That was plenty of time to plan the double date.He wondered if it would be Al planning the date for the two guys.Albus was the one to ask Tadhg out, so it’d make sense for him to do the planning.Or it could just be Scorpius overthinking things.

Scorpius met up with James and Albus for dinner like he normally did.He sat next to James, across from Albus, at the Gryffindor table.There weren’t many people in the Great Hall, so there was plenty of room for a Slytherin at their table.

“So earlier looked like it went well,” Scorpius said.Al grinned and nodded, and James raised an eyebrow.Scorpius gave a questioning look at Albus, seeing who was going to explain.

“I asked Tadhg Finnigan-Macmillan out earlier,” Albus said through a mouthful of chicken.“We’re going to Hogsmeade together.A double date with Scorp and Molly.”

James suddenly had a huge grin on his face and reached over the table and ruffled his younger brother’s hair.“That’s my boy!”

Al swatted the hand away playfully, giggling while doing so.Scorpius couldn’t help but smile.

“Oh, that’s right!” Scorpius said.“How’d it go with asking my parents about going to my place for Christmas?”

“It went perfectly, of course,” Albus said while throwing Scorpius a thumbs up.“It’s just for Christmas and Boxing Day, but I’m still excited.”

James pumped his fist in victory.“You’re doing great!How is it that Slytherins always get their way?”

“By making sure no one else does, poison like the snake he is.”The three boys looked toward’s Albus’s left to see Rose Weasley approaching.

_Well, there goes the mood_ , Scorpius thought.He noticed that Albus’s face went into Slytherin mode: eyebrow raised, eyes narrowed in intense focus, mouth curled into a subtle, almost smug smirk, his whole body contorting into a relaxed posture ofsmug superiority. 

“Exactly.Because everyone else is incompetent,” Albus said, the sarcasm rolling through the slow drawl he put on, like he was talking to a child.

_Merlin’s left earlobe_ , Scorpius thought. _Is he impersonating Grandfather Lucius?_

Albus continued: “This world would fall apart if I didn’t help imbeciles like you through the day.Having you hate me on principle makes it so much easier to make sure all your dreams are shattered.”

Scorpius was having a hard time keeping his laughter in.Rose’s face started to go red in anger, and she noticed Scorpius’s grin. 

“Laugh all you want, Malfoy,” she spat.“We all know how your family’s taken Albus under their wing and turned him against us.”

Albus actually laughed.“I think you’re turning me against you easily enough on your own.Why would you need help from a family of _snakes_ to do that anyway?”

Rose rolled her eyes and continued down the table towards her friends, who were eying the three boys, and started laughing, most likely at them, as soon as Rose got close enough.

Albus rolled his eyes.“You know, one of these days I’d like to invite you to sit at my House’s table but… the reception would probably be worse.”

James smiled and raised up his glass of water.“Here’s hoping for a successful double date, many babies for Scorpius, and subtlety for Al’s upcoming murder of those who would oppose the Glorious House of Slytherin!”

Scorpius laughed, and Al rolled his eyes again but still grinned, and the three toasted to each other.

Scorpius couldn’t believe it.He was _actually_ holding hands with Molly Weasley.

Molly hadn’t grown too much since Scorpius had first met her years ago, but she was still one of the prettiest girls he’d ever known.Her red hair cut in a pixie cut, and her slim body was enveloped in a large, dark coat, reminding him of what his mother would often wear.

They were looking up at the Shrieking Shack together, as one was… _expected_ to do on a Hogsmeade date?Honestly, Scorpius didn’t know how they ended up here, but they were here, and he was holding Molly’s hand… so, victory? 

It probably didn’t help that Albus and Tadhg were leaning up against the stone fence.Al’s arm was over Tadhg’s shoulder, and in return Tadhg hand an arm of his own around his date’s waist.They weren’t even looking at the decrepit building, but at Scorpius and Molly.And Albus had the audacity to be smirking.Prick.

And by Merlin’s sweaty armpit, how’d they suddenly start to look like they were made for each other?Scorpius had asked Molly out days before Al asked Tadhg, but they somehow looked so comfortable together.Scorpius could feel his ears warming up over just holding hands.

Albus seemed to notice, and whispered something into Tadhg’s ear. 

“So we’re going to Zonko’s,” the Slytherin announced moments later, and the two pushed themselves off the fence.As they passed Scorpius and Molly, Al whispered to Scorpius: “I expect to hear that you two were making out in your common room tonight.”

When they were out of earshot, Molly turned to Scorpius.“You know Al better than I do.Do you think they’re sleeping together yet?”

“If not, then him looking so smug means he’ll try tonight.”

Molly smiled and rolled her eyes, as if she regretted asking the question.Scorpius heard her mutter “ _boys_ ” under her breath.

On the train ride back to London, Scorpius noted that it was much like the last train ride.He and Lily were sitting on the same side with Al on the other side.The only _major_ difference was that Molly was on Scorpius’s left side, and Tadhg was laying down with his head in Albus’s lap. 

“Tadhg, I have a question,” Lily said.

“Hmm?”Tadhg didn’t take his eyes from Albus.

“Are your parents doing okay?Do they expect to have any major accidents?”

Tadhg look at Lily with a confused look, but Albus just rolled his eyes.

“They’re… fine, why?”

“Oh, nothing,” Lily said, sharing a knowing look with Scorpius.“It’s just that Dad adopted Al’s last boyfriend, Lorcan, without knowing they were dating, and since Al hasn’t said anything to Dad… I’m slightly worried.”

Tadhg laughed.“I heard about that!But you’re coming out to Mister Potter over the break, right Alby?I wanna come visit you as your boyfriend.”

Albus scowled, but still ruffled his boyfriend’s ginger hair.“I said I was going to, didn’t I?Why do you keep pestering me about that?”

“Because your annoyed face is cute,” Tadhg replied, sticking his tongue out.

“Oh ho ho,” Lily said.“He called you cute, _Alby_.”

Albus smirked at his sister.“What can I say?I am quite attractive.”

“I also want you to come meet my Dads, and my sister,” Tadhg continued.“Cara’s going to have a field day when she finds out.She’s been bragging about an American boyfriend she has in all of her letters.”

“I don’t remember your sister from Hogwarts,” Lily said.“Is she a lot older then you?Or younger?”

“Yes, there’s a giant gap of two weeks between us,” Tadhg said.“And she won’t let me forget that she’s older.We were brought _into being_ with that potion that allows two guys to both be the biological father, though we do still have mothers.Don’t know them, though.And don’t want to.Our Dads are enough, even if they did send her to New Orleans for school.” 

The group stayed quiet for a time.Molly had drifted off to sleep on Scorpius shoulder, which made Lily glance over at her from Scorpius’s other side and poke his shoulder with a teasing smile on her face.

There were times when Scorpius found that the Potter Residence at 12 Grimmuald Place really showed its age.He was in the only bathroom on the topmost floor of the townhouse.The floor house the four bedrooms of Harry Potter’s four teenage sons, and they all shared the one, tiny bathroom.And it smelled like it. 

He finished his business quickly, and stepped outside the bathroom.To his left was the staircase, and the doors to Lorcan’ and Lysander’s rooms.On the right were James’ and Albus’s rooms.James was apparently in Sirius Black’s old room, and Al was in Regulus’s room.

He headed into James’s room.James himself was on his bed, leaning up against the headboard.Lorcan was sitting in the only chair in the room, which was a tacky orange and red, and Lysander was sitting on the small fireplace’s hearth.Scorpius plopped himself down on the bed next to James.

“He hasn’t come back yet?” Scorpius said. 

James shook his head.“Nope, not yet.Though, I did just hear movement from Dad’s room below us, so he’s probably just waking up.”

“Gotta hand it to Al, he’s a lot braver than you were, James,” Lysander said.“You at least waited until he had some breakfast in him to tell him.”

“But that was only after he saw me making out with Jacob Creevey in the Quidditch locker rooms after the match last October,” James replied.“There’s not much left to hide when you walk in on your shirtless son making out with another shirtless boy.Merlin’s beard.Dad never walked in on me with any of my girlfriends.Of course he would with my first boyfriend.”

The three other boys grinned.Then, there was a small knock on the door.Scorpius quickly got up to reveal a pajama-clad Lily.

“Al and Dad are both in the kitchen,” she whispered, even though they were on the fourth floor, and the kitchen was in the basement.She held up almost half a dozen ancient Extendable Ears.“Wanna listen in?”


	3. Fifth Year Part 2

Harry wasn’t surprised that Albus was already having coffee when he walked in the kitchen.The two of them were always the first ones up.Unusually for Albus, he was looking particularly tired.And, if was even possible, paler than normal.In between sips, he was drumming his fingers on the table, almost impatiently.

“Sleep well?” Harry asked, pouring himself a cup of the coffee Albus had already made. 

Al shook his head. 

“Is… is everything alright, Al?” Harry said.It wasn’t like his son to be this out of focus during a conversation. 

“Wh- what do you think about James and Jacob?” Albus responded.He still didn’t look at Harry, only gazing into his near empty coffee mug. 

“It’s… fine,” Harry eventually said.“I can’t say that it didn’t throw me for a bit of a loop, but mostly because James never really kept anything like that to himself.Overall, though, he’s still the same James I love, I just know a bit more about him.”

“Oh,” Al said.He was still gazing at his cup of coffee, not having taken a sip from it for some time now.Sometimes, in the dark part of his mind, Harry wished he had taken up legilimency.It would make talking to Albus so much easier. 

Harry thought he knew where his son was going with the conversation, but he couldn’t be sure.Al was so much more secretive than the rest of his family, and often only said things to see other people’s reactions.He normally wouldn’t be so nervous about it, but he could just be leading Harry down one path because he was scared of revealing something else. 

“I- I’m…” Albus started.He finally drank the last bit of his coffee and looked at Harry directly in the eyes.“I’m bisexual.”

Father and son both nearly gasped, both from the fact that they couldn’t believe that Al had actually come out and said it directly. 

Harry eventually smiled and reached over to his son, resting his hand on one of Albus’s ever broadening shoulders.“Thank you for telling me, Albus.”

Albus smiled, and then sighed in relief.“Merlin’s beard, I wish I’d know you’d be okay with it earlier.”

Harry smiled back.“So, are you seeing anyone?”

Unexpectedly, Albus’s smile turned larger and goofier.“Tadhg Finnigan-Macmillan.”

“Merlin’s Beard,” Harry muttered, though he couldn’t help but smile.“You and James are into the same type of guys.”

Albus laughed.“What, short redheads with nice bums?I think we get that from you.”

Harry raised his coffee mug to his son.“Thank you for carrying on the Potter tradition of dating redheads.My father would be proud that his son and two of his grandsons followed in his footsteps.”

Albus smirked.“Well, three grandsons, really.Lorcan likes redheads too.At least he did when we snogged through all of fourth year.”

That nearly caused Harry to drop his mug.“You and Lorcan did _what_?”

Albus’s eyes lit up.Harry could tell his son enjoyed seeing his reaction.

“Lorcan and I were dating through our fourth year.You adopting him ended our relationship.By the end of the summer we’d even stopped having boners for each other too.”

Harry rubbed his face.Despited how uncomfortable he was knowing who made his son horny, he was still somehow impressed with how Al had from shyly stuttering to confidently saying who he once snogged in less than five minutes.

“Sorry, that was probably too much,” Al said. 

_Funny_ , Harry thought, _you don’t look all that sorry._

“Well, we’ve heard about my _burgeoning_ love life,” Albus said.“How are things going with you and… Mum?”

Harry tapped his finger on the table, and at first didn’t say anything.The silence drew on for several seconds, with Harry wondering how much he should reveal. 

“It’ll be finalized by the end of the year.I get the townhouse here, and she’s getting the beach cottage and the flat in Manchester.We get shared custody of James and Lily, and… I get sole custody of you, Lorcan, and Lysander.”

If that last bit hurt Albus in anyway, he hid it perfectly.

“Did… did she even ask for me?” he said, his voice cracking.Well, almost perfectly.“You know what… please don’t answer that.”

Solemnly, he got out of his seat and started cleaning his coffee mug at the sink. 

Harry stayed quiet, and after Albus finished cleaning the mug, he continued to stand at the sink, gripping the edge tightly.The moment stretched on until Albus leaned over the sink, and the sound of tears hit the metal bottom.

Scorpius took one last look at himself in his mirror.It was almost time for the annual Malfoy Christmas Eve supper, and of course, the Heir to the Malfoy family was expected to look the part.Scorpius’s dress robes were practically just a perfectly tailored muggle suit, made of black silk, with loose wizarding robes in silver silk over the suit. 

Normally, he’d only wear dress robes when the family threw balls or when he attended Ministry events with his father.The robes were worn for the private Christmas Eve dinner due to the fact that, like past years, Scorpius wasn’t going to be at the Christmas Ball. 

A new generation of Slytherins was to be the focus of the Ball the next evening, and Scorpius hoped Albus milked the Malfoy family for all that they were worth.They’d both be where they’d have the most fun.

Scorpius decided that his clothes were was good as they were going to get, and he made his way through the manor to the dining hall.The normal rectangular table that seemed to go on forever was replaced by a much more modest round table, set for five. 

He was the last one there, and sat in between his mother and grandmother.His father, who was sitting across from him, gave him a warm smile.Scorpius could remember a time when Draco Malfoy’s smiles were always thin and terse.Grandfather Lucius, on the other hand, still continued to look as though he was about to stab someone with a rusty trident, of which he owned seventeen and a half. 

Mere moments after Scorpius sat down, house elf Tipsy appeared and started magically filling everyone’s glasses and placing the first course.It was a quiet evening.Towards the end of the meal, Grandma Narcissa started a conversation about adding some turtles and ducks to one of the ponds, which led Father to say that swans would be more appropriate than ducks, prompting Mother to mention out of nowhere that a groups of geese while on land is called a gaggle for some reason, only for Grandfather Lucius to slap his hand loudly upon the table and declare that the solution to the dilemma posed was, in fact, to charm his peacocks to give birth to young ones with webbed feet.Because Grandfather Lucius had succumbed to the dark area in the back of his mind for the first time since the war, and his peacock army would surely reign supreme. 

And so it seemed to Scorpius to continue on like that for a great deal of time, through at least seven more courses than was needed, before he was finally dismissed to go slumber.


End file.
